This was written for everyone from the Pointless but Orignal Talking forum, because I thought I might as well write something for the NEWS Year (Oh great. I'm saying that now too?). Anyhow, this was orginally meant to be a Royal crack!fic where Atobe and Ryoma attempt to have a baby, but it turned into this angsty, but not really angsty, one-shot which isn't even that good. Anyway, Happy New Year to everyone!

They told each other that it was going to be a one time thing, and perhaps it was this notion that allowed them to go ahead with no inhibition whatsoever. For them, for now, there was nothing stopping them; these few hours, after all, would substitute for years of meaningful relationship.

It'd been inevitable, for them at least. Last day of the year. One too many drinks. No strings attached. It had been a far too generous of an offer to refuse. Atobe decided that he liked the sound of that.

How long had it been since they'd all gathered together? Years, at least. He couldn't really remember, and if he counted, it would probably number more than his fingers could hold. It was an attractive idea, to have the Hyoutei regulars gather for one last time before the clock struck twelve and they would be in a new year. Together.

There would be drinks all around, stories to tell, friendships--and perhaps some more--to rekindle, and it would be a dazzling night. Atobe could picture it all, but somehow, in the midst of writing invitations, his train of thought came to him and soon, nine cards more than he'd anticipated were sent out.

Atobe wasn't sure if they were in love. They probably weren't. Not yet at least. Time had yet to erase the past memories as he had originally wished for, and yet, golden orbs followed him during the duration of the party. Atobe noticed this. It was something he hadn't expected though, and for a moment, he fancied the idea that, perhaps, the snarky brat actually felt something for him.

That turned out to be wrong. Ryoma slyly confirmed it. Then, he wondered, why did he harbor such indescribable feelings? Atobe wanted to know; Ryoma dodged the question. There was that look in his eyes again as he settled against him after they'd calmed down. They held nothing back from each other, but the talk came to love, neither of them could answer properly.

Ryoma was going to wait for Atobe to say something.

But what was there to say after this? There really wasn't. The party had long since begun to quiet down when its participants began leaving in pairs, and that indeed was the sign of a party dying. He himself didn't mind; there was blue hair and an attitude to amuse him for the next few hours.

They were quiet now. Ryoma hadn't said anything at all when Atobe first approached him and took him out to the side. He had been accepting of it all, from the initial kiss to the state they were in now. Perhaps he had saw it coming. Who knew anything when it came to Echizen Ryoma?

Atobe stared at the ceiling. It'd been such a long time, and there was so much to say, but he couldn't think of a way to start the conversation. They had been all but silent to each other, preferring to communicate with their bodies. Now that he had the chance, the oppurtunity to say something, the words were trapped in his throat, and no amount of alcohol was going to squeeze it out. Ryoma had taken to looking listfully at his quilt covered legs. He was still waitinG.

After all, it was always Atobe who started everything. He was a born initiator, and why break the habit here?

"Happy New Year."

As Ryoma looked at the clock, he realized, for the first time, that it was four in the morning of January first. He rubbed his head, and his first instinct was to look for Karupin, but here in an unknown room, there was no comforting cat to leap into his arms. It was just him and Atobe.

"Sure," Ryoma said. He rubbed his eyes this time for they were still groggy. Details of the previous night were blurry, actually. He hadn't even wanted to be here in the first place. And there would be tennis later, after this. Great. A hangover was just what he needed while playing.

"How do you feel?"

"Okay, as if you care," Ryoma replied, plopping down on the mattress with his stomach facing up.

"Of course ore-sama cares. Even though ore-sama doesn't quite understand why ore-sama would even bother to care for an ungrateful brat like you."

Ryoma rolled his eyes, his hands crossed over together behind his head.

"It's been a long time," he merely said.

"Has it?" Atobe said.

"You don't call seven years a long time?"

"Well," he slowly said, "I suppose I would."

"I suppose?" Ryoma turned to the side, facing away from Atobe. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Atobe liked to think that they had a chance with each other, but he'd gone and made that promise with him. One time. This wasn't supposed to continue. He knew it, and so did Ryoma. He wanted them to forget about the mistakes made long ago. He wanted them to be together, because even though he sometimes hated the annoying kid, he also loved him. This was unsaid, of course. Why couldn't there be an exception?

They said that a new year brought in a new slate. Everything restarted itself. You were born anew. Even if everything had gone down in a drain before. Even if so much had happened between them...there still was a chance to start again.

Perhaps it was this notion that allowed him to finally look Ryoma in the face and say, "We could make this work."

The shocked look on the brat's face was priceless. Atobe smirked. It was a beginning.

END

A/N: My first PoT fic. Reviews are loved whether you liked it, hated or, or anywhere in between.